David Cook says 'thanks' to hometown fans

Stephanie Boothe

Saturday

May 24, 2008 at 12:01 AMMay 24, 2008 at 11:51 AM

The new "American Idol" winner looks forward to a chance to thank his loyal supporters back home.

David Cook may be the most famous person ever from Blue Springs, Mo. And now that the guy who had hopes of his high school band making it big is the newest "American Idol," he's being followed by paparazzi and doing a media blitz as the 2008 champion.

But he didn't forget about his hometown fans, the ones he says got him where he is. The Examiner had 10 minutes via phone to ask him about his experiences and how growing up in Blue Springs prepared him for stardom.

Q: What is your fondest memory of growing up in Blue Springs?

A: Wow. There's a lot to pick from. I loved playing baseball in the summer. Playing in the Blue Springs Little League was always a lot of fun.

Q: Will you get to come home anytime soon, or will you be kind of on a non-stop schedule with "Idol?"

A: Well, I can only assume a non-stop schedule, but worst-case scenario, I'll get to come home for a few days in August for the tour. But I'm hoping to maybe snag a couple of days to, you know, breathe and kind of sit down and wrap my head around what just happened.

Q: What have the last couple of days been like for you?

A: A whirlwind for starters. A lot of press and just kind of gearing up to promote the tour that's coming. I have a single out on iTunes. So far that's been doing very, very well. And then just start working on a record, which is kind of the whole purpose of this anyway.

Q: Will you get to put any of your original songs that you have written before on this album? Do you know yet?

A: I'm hoping so. If it works, trying to get all that mapped out, but hopefully. Hopefully, yeah. I'm just looking forward to being able to put out an album that I'm proud of.

Q: Back when you were playing with Axium, I think it was back in 2004 when we had The X, you told us that you wanted to make it big in the music industry. Were you expecting something of this magnitude?

A: Expecting, no. But hoping for, absolutely. I'll be the first person to admit this is the last avenue that I thought I was going to take to make it. And not in reference to any sort of negative stigma with the show. I never could have fathomed this was going to be my path. I just want to make music that means something. That's my goal.

Q: There were watch parties everywhere in Kansas City. Your mom's neighbor had them. They had them in Blue Springs. Were you aware of everything that was happening back here, all of the support that people were generating for you?

A: That's the feeling I got, and then I came home and I saw all of it, and I was just, I was very moved by it. You know I was just glad that everybody showed so much support around me to be put in a position to win this thing. I've said all along this title isn't a tribute to me. This is a tribute to everybody who took time out of their lives to vote. It's unreal.

Q: I saw on one of your forums that someone had voted for you 10,000 times before the final three. Did you ever think growing up in the Midwest, coming from Blue Springs, that you would have that kind of impact on people you've never even met?

A: No. I never even sold that many records before the show. That's the amazing thing about the show, it's such an avenue. It's such an opportunity. To hear those kinds of stories is extremely flattering and kind of mind boggling that somebody would text message or call in 10,000 times in four hours. I hope they didn't mess up their phone.

Q: I want to take you back to the sixth grade. You toured The Examiner with nine of your classmates. Do you remember coming to The Examiner and writing that story that came out the next day?

A: I do actually. I remember there was a photo of us huddled around an editor's desk. So yeah, I do. I have a vivid memory of that.

Q: Are there any messages that you want to deliver to your fans back here?

A: I'm humbled and extremely moved by just their support. To start at point A and to be here. This is awesome. .... I can't wait to come home and give them a proper "thank you." Hopefully those two nights at the Sprint Center will get something running. I have a feeling, in exchange, the next couple of years of my life I'm going to be busting a hump to make sure everybody understands that I appreciate it.

Q: You said on "American Idol's" Web site that your dream performance venue was the Sprint Center. Now you get two days there. How does that feel?

A: It's kind of a trip. And to think that I get to play last. It's going to be me and nine of some of my best friends. I couldn't have asked for a better scenario. I couldn't write a better script.

Q: Do you think your training and performances in theater at Blue Springs South helped you prepare for the "Idol" experience in any way?

A: I think absolutely. To take the opportunity to perform in front of people is going to help especially if it's the life's path that you want to take. But yeah, you know I spent time performing in high school. And then performing with Axium and Midwest Kings I think definitely helped me coming into this because it helped me understand how to operate within such an odd realm.

Q: Have you done any searches on eBay or Google and seen that your Axium CD, or even your last solo CD, sold for hundreds of dollars? Is that kind of a surreal feeling for you?

A: Yeah, if I had known they were going to be able to sell for that much, I would have started doing it before the show. I'm very, very flattered by that. That's what this show is. It's an awesome, awesome springboard. I can't wait to show people what I can do next.

Q: How does a guy from Blue Springs, Mo., who, you know, went to school to be a graphic designer, trying to make it on his own in the music industry, how do you go from kind of being known in your hometown to having paparazzi following you? How do you handle the celebrity status that comes along with all of this?

That's the tough part. That's another thing about "Idol" is they put a great support team around all of us to kind of help us because there's no school for this.

Coming into this, it's very much a 0-to-60 scenario. But I handle it just like I've handled everything else. You just kind of reach into the bag of ideals that got you to this point. For me growing up in such a grounded base - Blue Springs - was definitely a foundation. I feel like I've managed to maintain a sense of self, which has proven to be really helpful.

Q: Simon said early in the season that you lacked charisma when you said you were a word nerd, and he really didn't take kindly to your reply. Looking back, how did that moment on the show affect you, and how did feel when your fans rallied around you and started calling themselves the "Word Nerds?"

A: Well, you know, any time anybody's going to rally up behind me, I certainly appreciate it. That moment, for me, I learned from that that it's probably better to keep your mouth shut and your head down. The outpouring of support off that and everything thereafter. You know I've been asked a few times if there's anything I would change, and looking back I don't think there is. That moment, and really all the moments where I kind of stumbled, I learned from them, and they were great experiences. And I'm here just as much because of that as because of, you know, "Billie Jean" and "Hello."

Q: Well, David, thank you so much for your time. I know our readers are going to really appreciate the chance to hear you tell your story in your own words, and we're all so proud of you here.

A: Ah, thank you so much. I can't wait to come home and say "thank you" everybody.

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